Export Development

The CCMIA believes that while Canada’s own music market offers a myriad of opportunities for our artists, export development is key to the long-term sustainability of our artists and industry. Canada ranks 7th (IFPI, 2014) among music market nations, and our artists continue to make inroads into larger markets in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, and Australia through aggressive showcasing, touring, and business development. The CCMIA is committed to grow resources that enable MIAs to focus on this important work, and continue to build networks and channels for their artists to build audiences abroad.

The following excerpt comes from a position paper written by the Canadian Music Policy Coalition as led by CIMA.

With creators like July Talk, Bobby Bazini, Kiesza, Ariane Moffatt, Deadmau5, Pierre Lapointe, Magic!, Arkells, and many others taking the world by storm, and the catalogs of classic artists and composers like Rush, Harmonium, Charlebois, and Randy Bachman continuing to generate strong sales worldwide, the Canadian music ecosystem has proven that it can and does produce world class music and talent that truly belongs among the world’s elite. However, compared to France, Australia or even the United Kingdom, Canada has a decentralized export strategy. Continued and re-energized government support for the music ecosystem to engage with markets around the world is critical to the long-term success of the Canadian music industry.

Canada’s domestic music market – both Anglophone and Francophone – is relatively small and inundated with foreign produced content. In order to succeed commercially, Canadian players must have a larger marketplace and more opportunities to place their material and acts. Once having done so, the financial benefits are accrued in Canada, and are used to develop material for Canadian broadcast and retail markets. Canadian creators and acts that “break big” in foreign markets and reside in Canada are a substantial source of revenue for the entire music industry, seeding new act development. A 2011 report called Sound Analysis, demonstrated that while 73% of their revenues are earned in Canada, most Canadian independent recording companies operating in English Canada identified international expansion as a key strategic initiative. According to the findings of Sound Analysis, 19% of revenues are derived from the United States market, 3% from the United Kingdom, 1% from Australia/New Zealand and the remaining 4% from the rest of the world.

While the situation in Quebec is admittedly unique given linguistic and cultural factors, artists like Coeur de pirate, Half Moon Run, Patrick Watson, and Les Cowboys fringants are important examples of internationally successful artists.

Canadian songs are performed around the world on media and as part of live shows that generate millions of dollars that flow back to Canada every year. In 2014 alone, $55 million was collected from foreign performing rights organizations, including the US, France, UK and Germany – revenues that are increasingly important to songwriters and performers given significant changes in consumption and revenue to creators.

… Canada must maintain its brand presence and image as a supplier of world-class music. Canada has already proven it has great music products to sell and promote.

… Our organizations are already working together under a new international branding initiative called Music Export Canada. We are keen to continue the dialogue with government to ensure that our collective approach in world markets improves upon our existing initiatives in order to deliver a world leading strategy, in line with the current music ecosystem and the way fans enjoy music in the new digital world. Therefore, it is imperative that governments continue to act as partners and increase their support of international business strategies for the Canadian music ecosystem and the various stakeholders it represents.

Canada can, and must, deliver a world-leading export strategy that is in line with how Canadians enjoy their music in the emerging digital world.

The Canadian Council of Music Industry Associations (CCMIA) is a national council representing the provincial and territorial music industry associations (MIAs) in Canada.